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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



CASSIA 



GLEDITSCHIA.— A genus with 4 or 



5 species of ornamental deciduous trees, 

 often armed with simple or branched rigid 

 spines. Leaves twice pinnate, and also 

 on the same tree abruptly pinnate. 

 Flowers polygamous, in axillary clustered 

 racemes or fascicled cymes. Calyx tube 

 with 3-5 narrow subequal segments. 

 Petals 3-5, sessile, unequal. Stamens 6-10, 

 free. Pod ovate or elongated, flattened, 

 leathery or fleshy. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Gleditschias thrive in any fairly good soil, 

 and may be increased by imported seeds. 

 The plants are scarcely hardy enough 

 to stand the rigours of a severe winter in 

 the more northern parts of the British 

 Islands. 



G. macracantha. — A low-growing 

 Chinese tree of spreading habit, and re- 

 markable for the large branched spines on 

 the trunk. The pinnate leaves are about 



6 in. long, with a stout petiole and raohis 

 channelled on the upper surface. The 

 leaflets are fleshy in texture, bluntly 

 oblong, with crenate-serrate edges, and of 

 a rich deep green on the upper surface, 

 but paler beneath. 



Culture dc. as above. There used to 

 be a fine specimen of this species in the 

 gardens at Fulham Palace. 



G. monosperma ((?. vnerrrds).— Water 

 Locust. — A native of the United States 

 30-40 ft. high, with few slender 3-fid 

 spines, ovate oblong acute leaflets, and 

 greenish flowers in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. sinensis (G. horrida). — A Chinese 

 tree 30-50 ft. high, with strong spines, 

 ovate-elliptic, blunt leaflets, and greenish 

 flowers in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. 



G. triacanthos {Honey Locust). — A 

 native of the United States 30-50 ft. high, 

 with strong simple or 3-fid spines, linear 

 oblong leaflets, and greenish flowers in 

 summer. There are a few varieties of 

 this, including one without spines, and one 

 with a drooping habit. 



Culture dc. as above. 



CASSIA. — A genus containing from 

 200 to 400 species (according to various 

 authors) of ornamental trees, shrubs, or 

 herbs, with abruptly pinnate leaves, and 

 flowers in axillary or terminal panicles. 

 Calyx segments 5, imbricated. Petals 5, 

 imbricate spreading, nearly equal. Sta- 



mens 3-10, unequal, some abortive. Pod 

 round or flattened, woody, leathery, or 

 papery. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 species described below are the only ones 

 that may be grown outside in this country, 

 and even C. corymbosa and C. Icevigata 

 require protection in winter, the first 

 named certainly. The Cassias like a rich 

 sandy loam and peat, and may be readily 

 increased from imported seeds sown in 

 heat, or by cuttings of the half-ripened 

 shoots under glass during the simimer 

 months. 



C. coquimbensis. — A pretty Chilian 

 shrub with leaves 2-4 in. long composed 

 of 4-6 pairs of elliptic oblong mucronate 

 leaflets. The flowers are bright yellow, 

 1-li in. across, and are borne in corym- 

 bose racemes at the ends of the shoots in 

 summer. 



Culture dc. as above. This species is 

 generally grown in a cool greenhouse, but 

 would probably succeed in the open air in 

 the mildest parts of the south and west, 

 with a little protection in winter. 



C. corymbosa. — A native of Buenos 

 Ayres 6-10 ft. high, with smooth oblong 

 lance-shaped, rather falcate leaflets, and a 

 profusion of yellow flowers in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. Isvigata (C herheriiana). — A 

 native of New Spain, about 3 ft. high, with 

 smooth ovate lance-shaped pointfed leaflets 

 having an oblong acutish gland between 

 each pair on the stalk. Flowers in sum- 

 mer, golden-yellow, numerous. 



Culture dc. as above. 



C. marilandica (Wild Senna). — A 

 smooth herbaceous perennial, native of N. 

 America, 2-3 ft. high, with lance-shaped 

 oblong, blunt leaflets, and axillary racemes 

 of yellow flowers late in summer. 



Culture dc. as above. This plant 

 should be grown in sheltered sunny spots, 

 and may be increased by dividing the 

 roots in spring, or from seeds sown as 

 soon as ripe in cold frames. 



CERATONIA (Bean Tree; Carob 

 Tree ; Locust Tree). — A genus with one 

 species described below with the generic 

 characters. 



C. Siliqua. — A native of the Mediter- 

 ranean region 80-50 ft. high, with abruptly 

 E innate evergreen leathery leaves and oval 

 hint leaflets. Stipules minute or none. 

 Flowers late in summer, small, reddish. 



